A/N: Hello! This chapter was sooooo long. Mainly because it's pretty much two chapters wrapped into one. Which takes my usual time of 1-2 weeks to publish to 2-4 weeks. I was thinking about splitting these chapters into two but I didn't want to leave you guys on ANOTHER cliffhanger.
Like I said, this chapter has to deal a lot with Lapis. SO if you like Lapis, I hope you enjoy! If you don't...well why DON'T YOU!? She's a really cool character!
FYI: There will be flashbacks throughout this story. A LOT of flashbacks (based on how I planned this story) and you'll know if it's a flashback because it will be this ~o O o~ and everything will be italicized.
Replies:
I'm out of names - Thank you thank you! ONE DAY KNOWING THAT STEVEN WILL BE OKAY...FILLS YOU WITH DETERMINATION!
camdawg - yeaH! I feel you! I think that Steven needs some credit! And that's a goood thought and idea! :3
Stevenuniversefanficislife - I'm so sorry that I left you on that cliffhanger! And yess! I love Peridot (and the other Homeworld Gems) "Don't touch my things!"
littlealexmartinez61910 - I'm so glad you like my story, and I;m so sorry for the slow update, BUT...I got you a double length chapter! That's good right? :)
20Last-Sparkle-01 - I know, I just gave more questions, but it's a magical journey! there will be LOADS of questions mwahah! And yes, the Jasper thing will be explained (but not this chapter)...glad that you picked up on that~! :D
WeAreTheCrystalGays - D:
Guest - :0 AN OSCAR? *sniffs* I've never been nominated for an oscar before!
cristofer25 - :3 How bout I give you a very LONG uPDATE?!
A Lights Shadow - I'm glad you like this story :)
KillJoyGem - I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Just for you, I've updated it and it's twice as long! ;3
Guest (2) - A walking death machine? I like the sound of that (mwahah) And beefy cheeto puff gots to stay tough!
Nick son of Apollo - The best Steven Universe story you've read so far? Oh wow thank you!
Pegalover - :0 ... I think that review is very magical! I'm so glad for the Steven Bomb! Steven's like 14! And Peri is so cute! :D
Guest (3) - :) I'm so glad you like this story! I hope you enjoy! :D
Please enjoy this (really) long chapter! I know I enjoyed writing it! :)
Disclaimer: Steven Universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar!
End A/N
CH6: A Vacation
Different.
That was the word that described him.
Everything about him, and the situation he was in, was absolutely different. According to Peridot, his DNA differed from previous data entries. His relationship with the new Gems were different. His gem itself was different.
But he didn't feel different.
In all seriousness, Steven knew what it felt like to be suddenly different.
The time he tried to throw the Crystal Gems a birthday party was probably a big instance where he felt different. He didn't feel like himself. He felt older that time, and more mature, compared to what he usually feels like. A carefree kid.
But now, he didn't feel any different, biologically speaking. He felt like himself. However, Peridot tells him otherwise...
Steven sighed and slouched a little in his chair, looking hopelessly down at his Cookie Cat cereal. He wasn't feeling all that hungry, which was a first, because Steven was always up to eat a snack, especially with Cookie Cat's face on it.
Steven frowned.
Okay, maybe he was feeling a little different from his carefree, happy, demeanor, but it was all because of how confused he was at the situation he was in.
It's been four days since his check up with Peridot, and there has been little to no progress to discover the reason why, and how the Versal Stone was inside of Steven's gemstone. Peridot hypothesized that Steven absorbed the stone inside his gem, much like when a Gem would store actual objects in their gemstone. Steven recalled that Pearl demonstrated that quite frequently, but Steven never used the ability himself. It was a good theory, however, that's all what that was: a theory.
The Versal Stone, explained briefly by Peridot, was a gem tool to erase Gems from existence. Instead of the common practice of just shattering Gems, the Versal Stone was a quick way to disintegrate Gems into nothingness. Not a shred or shard left behind, just in case someone knew how to revive their pieces. If the Versal Stone's excessive light energy were to come in contact with a Gem – an embodiment of light – the only thing bound to happen was a negative effect. Such negative effect is the Gem being incinerated from a mere touch.
The only thing that was odd about this predicament was the horrifying fact that the Versal Stone was inside of the Rose Quartz gem. If the effects were so disastrous like Peridot mentioned, Steven's gemstone should have had a negative effect by now, such as the gem itself being in some type of distress. There was no split or cracking. Not melting or decomposing. The Versal Stone was just simply sitting inside of Steven's stone, as if it belonged there.
Something obviously wasn't adding up.
Steven blinked at his now, soggy bowl of cereal, restlessly. He had been awake for the past few nights because of the constant questions plaguing his mind, trying to make some sense of the Versal Stone. Well...that and because Peridot constantly brought him back to her room to run more tests. And being in a bright room in the middle of the night really tired out his eyesight.
Steven blinked at his cereal again. It had been sitting there for so long that it had to be disgusting by now. Super soggy cereal was going to ruin his already slow morning. Actually, his morning was pretty much ruined by his sore muscles weighing down on him. Steven sighed and picked up his spoon. He sloshed the mushy cereal around, wondering if he could take a nap right here in the kitchen. He stifled a yawn and his eyes began to drop, slowly nodding off, while staring at his cereal. If he wasn't so sleepy, he could've sworn the milk in his bowl was...rising.
Steven blinked and rubbed his eyes. He looked back down at his cereal and saw that the milk had ascended a few inches from his bowl, and had formed into - what looked like - a hand! Steven gasped and jumped back, falling out of his chair and onto the floor, frightened.
"Oh! Steven!" a voice said from the other side of the kitchen. The milk suddenly sloshed back into the bowl like someone dropped it, "I didn't mean to scare you!" A panicked Lapis gasped. Steven looked up and saw the blue clad gem hovering above him, trying to help him off of the floor.
"That was you?" Steven mumbled. It finally dawned on him that Lapis could control water...or liquid? Both?
"Sorry," Lapis gave a small apologetic smile, "I was talking to you and you weren't responsive. I tried to grab your attention."
Steven finally managed to get back onto his feet and he returned her smile with a sheepish grin, "Well it worked."
"Are you okay? Have you been feeling any better?" She asked, worried.
It had been no secret to both Lapis and Jasper, of what Steven and Peridot discovered inside his gemstone. Peridot immediately told Jasper and Lapis that this Steven wasn't the same Steven they knew. He was a completely different Steven from another world. A Steven that grew up with different Gems and that Peridot, Lapis and Jasper, were more like rivals or enemies that had tried to defeat or kill Steven before.
It had been a shock to both Jasper and Lapis, hearing the odd news. They asked numerous questions, many of which Peridot couldn't answer at that time. The questions being "How did the Stevens switch places?" Or, "Is the other Steven safe? If so, where is he?" Another being, "How do we get the Versal Stone out of him?" And the most serious question, "Will the Versal Stone kill him?"
Although Peridot didn't have any answers to these questions, she was more than determined to answer them all within due time. However, this required Peridot to sequester herself in her room for the past few days, doing constant research on the Versal Stone. Although she'd never admit it, Peridot's basic knowledge of the Versal Stone was a little more than outdated, to say the least. The knowledge she proclaimed to have about the Versal Stone was at least 5,000 years old. The last she was given the most recent information about the Versal Stone was way back when she was a common Peridot on Homeworld. And even back then, she was only given basic information about it. Her managers or superiors didn't bother going into great detail of the Versal Stone's history and what it was originally made for. They only told her the information it was used for on Homeworld, which was a new and improved, execution device.
Nevertheless, Peridot promised the Crystal Gems that she would answer their questions in great detail after a few days of hardcore research and studying. The only thing for Gems to do now, was to wait patiently as Peridot worked her magic.
"I'm...hanging in there..." Steven finally answered, stifling a yawn, "My body still hurts and my headache is still there." Steven admitted.
Lapis frowned, "Peridot said she was working on some pill or muscle relaxer to make your pains go away, but..." She paused looking at the Crystal Gate, "Who knows how long that will take. Especially when she's so invested in the Versal Stone."
It was true. Peridot did promise Steven to make a special type of medicine to ease his aches and pains. Steven asked time and time again if he should just take Tylenol or Advil, like his dad used to give him if he had and muscle pains before, but Peridot simply replied, 'This isn't an organic problem.' Whatever that meant.
"Hopefully it's soon..."Steven responded, pitifully. He looked and felt ill. With the lack of sleep and the soreness around his body, how could he feel like anything but terrible?
"Steven are you okay?" Lapis asked again, concerned. She knelt before him and placed the back of her hand on his forehead, "Have you been staying hydrated?"
Steven nodded, tiredly. Lapis was always so worried about him staying hydrated. He figured that, since she could control water, that's what interested her the most, "I'm just tired..." He said.
Lapis frowned, "Have you not been getting enough sleep at night?"
Steven shook his head, "Peridot calls me at night and takes me in her room to run tests. It's kinda hard to sleep on that cold table."
Lapis narrowed her eyes instinctively, "Well that's not okay. You need rest, Steven. How else are you going to feel better if you aren't getting any–"
Suddenly, the Crystal Gate opened, grabbing both Steven and Lapis' attention. Peridot emerged from her room, carrying a worn out textbook, with a flask robonoid beside her. She took a few steps forward, about to activate the Warp Pad before Lapis stopped her.
"Peridot, where are you going?" She asked.
Peridot arched an eyebrow, and answered, "What's it look like?" She held up the textbook as if Lapis couldn't see it before, "I don't know where you've been for the last few days, but I'm the person trying to figure out more information about the Versal Stone. I have to find the fourth edition of this book at the Liber Spire to conduct further analyzations." She explained.
"What's the Liber Spire?" Steven piped.
"It's a location where there is a collection of archives and socially advanced laboratories for the use of expanding the capabilities of Gem knowledge," Peridot said proudly.
Steven blinked, "Um...what...exactly is it?"
"It's a Gem library, Steven," Lapis said simply.
"Ohh.." Steven giggled a little, only earning a frustrated sigh from Peridot. She mumbled something about buying a thesaurus for Steven someday. Before she activated the Warp Pad, Lapis called for her again.
"Wait! Peridot!"
"What?" Peridot answered annoyed.
"Have you come up with any way to help Steven with his aches?" She asked.
"If I did, I would've given it to him," She answered facetiously.
"What I meant was, are you close to finishing this medicine?" She asked.
"I sent Jasper to Rose's Garden to gather the last remnants of Rose's healing tears. It's one of the last ingredients I need to prepare the medicinal drug." Peridot answered, "If you're still feeling unwell, Steven, I suggest you should relax and don't do anything strenuous, especially on your Gem."
And with that, Peridot warped away with her flask robonoid, before Lapis questioned her any further. Lapis sighed annoyed. She really had to tell Peridot that waking Steven up in the middle of the night was definitely not okay, especially when he wasn't feeling well.
"Hey," Steven said, snapping Lapis' attention to him, "What does she mean the remnants of my mom's healing tears? Isn't there like...a huge fountain that has pools of her tears?" He asked.
Lapis nodded, "Yes. That's what it used to be before the attack of Rose's Garden. The attack had cut off all Rose's tears from flowing to the fountain. There is only about a liter or so left. We would only use a drop or two for emergencies, to salvage it. "
Steven's eyes widened in shock. He can't take the last of the tears! Not when there was an infinite amount in his own world! If it was for their own emergencies, then he could definitely endure the pain longer, "I can't take those tears! What if you guys need it?!"
Lapis blinked, "What do you mean?"
"Those are you guy's tears! I can't just take them! They're for you guys if you're in an emergency–"
"Steven," Lapis gave a lovely smile, "Those are your mother's tears. If she were here, now, she would give you all her tears in a heartbeat, emergency or not. She would expect us to do the same for you." She said sweetly.
Steven's eyebrows knitted together, worried, "Really?"
Lapis nodded, "Yes. Besides, we rarely have accidents. The last time one of us cracked a Gem was when we found Peridot, and that was so long ago." She giggled, "So, you don't have to worry about us getting into some type of trouble, okay?"
Steven bit his lip, not fully convinced. He really hoped what Lapis was saying was true but, all he could do was feel guilty. What if they needed to be healed? He could always use his healing spit in a situation though, but what if it didn't work like that other time he tried? No, it had to work the next time. It was the least he could do for them when the time came, to help them, especially when they've shown so much care for him in the past few days.
Steven nodded and gave a small smile, "So, um...who destroyed the Fountain?" He asked curiously. The smile that graced Lapis' lips slowly faded, "Ah, it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it," She said as she stood.
Steven frowned just a bit. He wondered who would attack such a beautiful sanctuary? One that belonged to his mother, at that. Not to mention, it was a place where you can be healed. Why would you destroy something so beneficial?
"So, Steven," Lapis said. Steven looked up to meet her sweet gaze, "Since you've been bedridden and stuck in the house for nearly a week, how about you and I take a little vacation, hm?"
Steven's eyebrows perked up with interest, "A vacation?"
Lapis nodded with pure joy, "A vacation," she confirmed.
Steven's eyebrows frowned a bit, "Do you think Peridot will be okay with that? I mean...she doesn't really want me to do anything but relax..." He tried. Peridot made it clear after she discovered the Versal Stone in his gem, Steven was not allowed to go very far from the Temple (not that he actually left the Temple for almost the past week).
Lapis scoffed, "Peridot isn't here to dictate that. Besides..." Lapis gave a mischievous smile, "The place where I'm going to take you, is a secret place."
Steven's eyes lit up and small stars seemed to appear in his eyes. Sick or not, Steven was always a sucker for 'secret' things. Especially when those said secret things were to include him. "A secret place?" He beamed.
Lapis nodded with a sly smile, "Not to mention that you'll be able to relax there too, so technically, you'll be able to follow Peridot's instructions." She said knowingly.
Steven would jump for joy if he could, "That sounds awesome! Can we go right now?" He asked excitedly, with newly expressed enthusiasm coursing through his body.
"Of course we can. However, I think you should grab your jacket first. It can be a little chilly where we're headed, and I don't want you to feel worse than you already do." She said. She turned on her heel, heading towards the Warp Pad.
"Oh, okay, be right there!" Steven said eagerly. He went to the living room where his jacket was, laying neatly on the couch. He grabbed it, slipping it on and headed to the Warp Pad, where Lapis was waiting for him. He stood beside her and smiled, silently telling her that he was ready to go.
Lapis smiled back and activated the Warp Pad. A stream of light surrounded them both, warping them to the destination that Lapis selected.
The duo fazed in front of, what seemed to resemble, the bottom of a canyon. The atmosphere was hazy with pink rose bushes and blue bellflowers making a pathway towards a very large mountain.
Steven looked around in amazement, "Wow, Lapis! This place is so pretty!"
He heard Lapis laugh a little, "I'm glad you think so, Steven, but this very spot isn't our destination." She said, walking off of the Warp Pad. Steven followed after and asked, "This isn't the secret place?"
Lapis shook her head, "Nope. The secret place is up there." Lapis said pointing at the very top of the mountain.
Steven looked up and his face immediately deflated. The mountain was so far up that he couldn't even see the top of it. It was surrounded with a hazy pink cloud, and even if he could see past the haze, he still wouldn't be able to see to top of the mountain.
"Oh, man..." Steven sighed with disappointment. He was so not ready to climb a bunch of steps up a mountain. He wish he had his pet goat-son, Steven Jr. to carry him.
Lapis turned her attention to Steven and frowned, "What's wrong Steven?"
Steven sighed again and shook his head, "Nothing. I guess we should get going." He said, trying to hide his sour expression, "Where's the steps towards the mountain?"
Lapis blinked a few times before laughing at him, "What do you mean, 'steps'? There are no steps here." She giggled.
Steven's eyebrows rose, "Then how are we supposed to get up there?"
"You think I'm going to make you climb up this mountain?" She asked amused.
Steven's face flushed slightly with embarrassment and gave a sheepish grin, "I dunno..." He shrugged.
Lapis shook her head and smiled, "No, no, Steven. I'm not gonna make you climb up there. Especially when you're not feeling well. I'm going to fly us up there."
Steven's eyes widened with anticipation. He had almost forgotten that Lapis had the ability of flight! How cool was it for a Gem to be able to fly without shape shifting?
"Oh, okay!" Steven said excitedly, "I'm ready to go when you are!"
Lapis smiled again before picking Steven up with incredible ease, and placing him awkwardly on her hip, "Mmph," she mumbled out, "You've sure have gotten big. Last time I held you like this, you were a little baby," she chuckled, "Hang on tight." She ordered. Steven wrapped his arms around her shoulders and clutched his legs against her waist.
Lapis slightly bent her knees, while her gem formed her beautiful water wings on her back. She jumped up with much grace and fluidity, that Steven almost didn't realize that they had left the ground. The only way he knew that they were flying was because of the wind whipping violently across his face. Lapis was flying so fast that the air was echoing quickly in his eardrums. Steven closed his eyes at the unforgiving wind and buried his face in the crook of Lapis' neck.
Lapis tightened her grip on Steven and flew even faster. She flapped her wings in long strides to get to the top of the mountain as quickly as possible, "Almost there," Lapis said as she flapped. Within twenty seconds of her saying that, she slowed down her momentum until they came to a halt.
Steven finally looked up from Lapis neck and discovered a couple of things. Firstly, it was very cold. So cold that he could she the breath escaping from his lips. Secondly, the scenery that they were slightly hovering over was even more beautiful than the scenery in the canyon below. The forms of the mountain was beautiful. It was sculpted delicately by the will of mother nature. Instead of the top of the mountain being just a pointy top, there was a crater indented in the middle filled with a violet color of water.
Lapis lowered them to the edge of the mountain where they could safely walk on. She placed Steven on the ground and he silently explored the new area. Steven mumbled small 'woah's' and 'wow's' as he took in the beautiful scene.
"Welcome to my Secret Oasis," Lapis smiled at Steven, to her delight, was in wonderful awe.
Steven looked toward the pinkish-violet colored water and noticed that there was steam emitting from it, "I didn't know that you were taking me to a hot spring! I would've brought my swim trunks." Steven pouted.
Lapis smiled, "It's not your normal hot spring, Steven." She walked over towards the edge of the spring and dipped her hand into the warm water, "Even though this is water, whatever comes in contact with it remains dry when it departs." She explained. She took her hand out of the illusive water and showed Steven. Steven inspected her hand and was amazed at what he saw. It was true! Her hand was dry, despite her putting it in the water.
"Wow," Steven said, truly amazed. He looked down at the water and decided to dip his hand in it too. The water was warm and inviting, making him want to jump in and enjoy the warmth. However, Steven pulled out his hand and inspected it, just like he did with Lapis'. Just like before, his hand was completely dry, there was no evidence of moisture even touching his hand.
Steven laughed, "This is so cool! I can just go in the water with my clothes on!"
Lapis gave out a soft chuckle and nodded, "Not to mention, it's incredibly cold up here. There wouldn't be a real reason to get undressed." She slowly but casually walked into the spring and settled down into the warm water. The water reached past the middle of her torso, keeping her bust free from any water. Lapis flashed Steven and encouraging smile, "Come on in, Steven."
Steven returned her smile with an enthusiastic grin. He kicked off his sandals and lightly pricked the warm water with his big toe to test the temperature. He then tested the water with his whole foot, then leg, then eventually he submerged his entire body in the spring, sighing at the inviting temperature. The water felt good on his aching muscles, that now he hardly felt anymore.
"Feels good, huh?" Lapis giggled.
"Yeah! This water is perfect! If all water was like this, I don't think I'll ever take off my clothes to swim again!" He laughed, and Lapis joined in, laughing too.
"So, no one knows about this spring? Just you?" Steven asked curiously.
"Just me...and you of course," She smiled, however, her smile didn't reach her eyes, making it feel like it was not genuine.
Steven frowned and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets, "How did you find it?"
Lapis blinked and gave a nervous smile, "Well...I didn't find it, per-say. It was uh...more of an accident."
Steven's eyebrows furrowed, "An accident?" He inquired. Absentmindedly, Steven felt something in his jacket pocket. It felt small and metallic. Steven gasped and pulled the object out of his pocket, bringing it out of the water.
"Steven, what's wrong?" Lapis asked.
Steven's eyes widened slightly as he showed Lapis what was in his hand, "It's my camera," he muttered, in a small state of shock.
"Your camera?" Lapis asked, "When did you have a camera?"
Steven shook his head, "It was my dad's camera. He leant it to me before I went with the Gems to look for the Versal Stone..." Steven's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion, "It was in my pocket...?"
"When we brought you back home after the stone incident. We took off your jacket and placed it on the couch while we put you in bed." She said cautiously, "I didn't know you had a camera in your pocket."
Steven didn't reply as he pressed the power button on his camera. Despite the water it was in, the device flickered on and the digital screen enhanced its brightness for the user. Steven pressed a side button that made the screen flicker to a picture he had taken earlier. It was a photo of the pile of stones he took when he and Garnet were searching for the Versal Stone.
"I almost forgot about these pictures," Steven said quietly.
"Did you take these before you touched the Versal Stone?" Lapis asked. Steven nodded as he pressed the skip forward button. The screen flickered to the first photo that was ever taken. It was a picture of his father.
"Oh, it's Greg," Lapis said. She muffled a small giggle, "Well, a younger version of him."
Steven gave a small smile. It was a picture of his dad, a lot younger than he was now. His hair and beard was a light brown and he still had tufts of hair on the top of his head. He was smiling appreciatively at the camera, showing off his pearly whites, "This was when he first got his camera. He won it in a raffle." Steven said fondly, remembering the story of how his father spent three dollars on a raffle ticket at the annual Beach City Parade.
Steven pressed the skip button, and the next image flickered to life. It was a picture of Greg and Rose. Greg was posing dramatically at the camera while Rose seemed to be laughing at him. Steven's smile spread as he saw the image of both his parents. He had seen the image before, but he always was affected by seeing his late mother, especially when she was smiling.
"That's a nice photo." Lapis said quietly. Steven glanced at Lapis, giving her a satisfied grin before he looked back down at the photo. He examined the picture for a few moments longer and then finally went to the next photo.
It was a picture of Garnet and Amethyst. Amethyst stuck her tongue out playfully at the camera while Garnet just stood stoically, not giving away any emotion.
"Who's that?" Lapis asked.
"Oh," Steven said, nearly forgetting about Lapis' not knowing about his Crystal Gems. He pointed to Garnet, "That's Garnet. And that's Amethyst."
"Ah, these were the Gems you used to live with, right?" Steven nodded, and Lapis continued her observation. "A fusion and a– what looks like a..." Lapis' eyebrow rose as she inspected Amethyst's form, "Is she a Quartz?"
Steven raised his eyebrows, confused by her question, "No, she's just Amethyst," he said.
"No, no," Lapis shook her head, "I mean her Gem type–" she paused, "err... Uh never mind, you wouldn't understand." She waved off.
Steven looked at her skeptically before shrugging it off, and went onto the next photo. This time it was a photo of Pearl who had her back to the camera, with her head turned to glare unappreciative at the camera. Before Steven had a chance to explain who she was, Lapis already said, "Pearl."
"Oh yeah. That's Pearl." Steven nodded, "You know her, right?"
Lapis' eyes narrowed and were distant, "Once before," was all she said.
Steven didn't want to pry, but he was itching for answers. All of the little clues that was a part of Pearl's whereabouts in this world was not being put together. These Gems knew of Pearl's existence, but they were not keen on elaborating anymore about her or where she was at the moment. And with Lapis' vague answer, Steven thought it was best to drop the subject for now.
Steven flipped through the photos on his camera. The next few photos were just a bunch of instruments that his dad purchased throughout the years. A guitar, some drums and a few other musical items that were now stowed away in storage.
He scrolled through more images and he found some silly photos. One of Amethyst poking Pearl's oh-so-pointy nose, earning an exasperated shock look on Pearl's face. Next a picture of Greg struggling to pick up a 100lb combined weight while to the left of him, Garnet was easily picking up two with great posture; not even breaking a sweat. A picture of Greg sleeping while Amethyst drew doodles on his face. Another picture of Garnet and Amethyst in an intense an arm wrestling match, judged by Greg who was very interested in which Gem would be the victor.
As Steven scrolled through the pictures, Lapis remained quiet, calmly looking over his shoulder and inspecting the figures in the photos. Steven stopped at a picture of Greg and Rose's silhouette on the beach. The sun was setting and Greg and Rose were near the water. You couldn't see their faces, but you could make out their forms. Rose was slightly bent over, as she was giving Greg a loving kiss. It was a romantic scene that you'd probably only find in cheesy movies, but this photo was real and genuine. It melted Steven's heart, every time when he looked at the photo of his parents.
"They truly did love each other," Steven heard Lapis say. He slightly turned and saw her smile timidly, "When Rose told me she was in love with Greg, I didn't understand..." She said. She looked up at the sky in deep thought, "I still don't think I completely understand...to love another being. To care deeply enough for another person..."
Steven looked back down at the photo and bit his lower lip, unsure of what to say. The Crystal Gems—his Crystal Gems understood what the concept of love was. Garnet herself was an embodiment of love from both Ruby and Sapphire. Even he, himself, was sort of like Garnet in a way. He was born of love from both his mother and father. He thought about how he could explain it to Lapis but she spoke first.
"But...in a way, I kind of...do understand how to love someone. Someone else...to have deep emotion and care for someone else," she gave a small pause and looked at Steven's round eyes, "Unfortunately, I just started to get a small understanding of it, as soon as she was gone..."
Steven swallowed, unsure where this conversation was going, "Who did you...start to love?" He asked pensively.
Lapis smiled brightly and weaved her fingers into his curly locks of hair affectionately, much like what Garnet usually did, "You, Steven."
Steven's eyes turned into stars, and he gave her a small smile, "Me?"
"Of course," She smiled, "When you were born, I knew it was my duty to protect and care for you. You were constantly kept at the Temple when you were an infant, that I taught myself how to care for you like a human mother would have." She said.
Steven's face deflated a bit, "My dad wasn't there for me as a baby?"
Lapis inwardly cringed, "Your dad...had conflicting feelings about you—I mean, don't get me wrong, Steven, your father loves you. Don't ever question that," She said sternly, "Your father just had a difficult time after you were born, that he couldn't handle the added pressure of raising a baby."
"But you did?"
"Well..." Lapis flushed a bit embarrassed, "No. It was new to all of us...raising a baby. Jasper and Peridot were too...dense...to know how to take care of you, so I took it among myself to learn how to handle you." She answered, "It wasn't an easy task, especially when Gems weren't tasked with handling infants."
"How did you teach yourself?" Steven asked, curiously.
"Books," Lapis said simply, "But most of the time I had to figure it out in puzzles."
"Puzzles?" Steven asked.
Lapis laughed a bit, " Oh, yeah. Raising you was a bunch of 'trial and errors'. Well, at least, that's how Peridot put it. I remember the first time taking you up here."
Steven's eyes widened, "You took me here before?" Lapis nodded, "Why? What's so special about this Secret Oasis that you took me here?"
Lapis smiled, "This spring, like I said, isn't your normal hot spring," She said. She looked into the deep end of the pool of pinkish-violet water, "This spring can relieve muscle pains, aches, and illnesses."
Steven's jaw went slack and he looked down at the discolored water. What Lapis said must have been true. Ever since Steven stepped inside of the water, his headache and muscle pains dulled, and he practically felt numb, "That's why you took me here?" Steven inquired. He only earned a small smile from Lapis, insinuating a positive answer. Steven placed his camera back into his jacket pocket then threaded his fingers through the mysterious water, "I wonder where this water came from…"Steven asked rhetorically.
"Well…" Lapis started, "This water is an extension from me and your mother," She paused, "This was the first place where she and I fused."
Steven's eyes were as wide as small saucers, "You two, fused?" He gasped. There weren't many stories that Steven heard of about his mother fusing with someone else. And his mother - Rose Quartz, leader of the Crystal Gems - fusing with a powerful Gem like Lapis, would be an amazing story to hear. Luckily for Steven Lapis was willing to share her experience.
"I was… going to wait and tell you this story once Peridot taught you about fusion. But...since you already know about fusion, I guess I could tell you about the time I fused with Rose," She paused and smiled sadly, "Besides, I can still tell this story to the Steven that you traded places with, once he learns about fusion."
"Yeah," Steven beamed, ready to hear the story already. Lapis took his cue and began the story.
"Okay, well, it was a few hundred years ago. Beach City...wasn't even a City yet. I was…having a difficult time controlling the tides near the Temple…"
~o O o~
The tides were reaching the bottom of the Temple. Too much to control and too much to ignore. The Earth always did react in such strange and mysterious ways. Peridot mentioned that the Earth's tides were controlled by the moon of some sort, but I never truly understood it. It's not like I could control the moon whenever I wanted.
The winds from the ocean, breezed through my shoulder length hair. The tides were reaching up to my waist now, and touching the edges of the Temple. I sighed. I've been out here for nearly two hours and I still couldn't get the hang of controlling the Earth's ocean! It's so frustrating and exhausting. Controlling all this water is taking a lot of mental strength. And using mental strength for nearly two hours straight is a definitely a strain. Why did Rose have to build her base near the ocean?
I feel something slither against my foot. I look down and find a colorful creature with...multiple arms, wrap around my ankle. I've seen this creature before… I think Peridot told me that the humans referred to it as an...octo-pie... in the marine biology books she's picked up. I wish I had the luxury to read books like Peridot, but I simply do not have the time. I haven't had any time to leisurely enjoy this planet during and after the war. I'm too busy handling the many bodies of water, bubbling stray Corrupted Gems, and rescuing humans from multiple catastrophes. So, reading is definitely not on my top priorities list at the moment. Not to mention I have to actually learn how to read the symbols that humans claimed to be their language. The most popular language being 'english' is what I have yet to learn how to read. I guess with the help of Peridot and maybe some humans, I'll be able to learn within due time…
I sigh. I've been on this planet for nearly 4,000 years and I still feel like an 'alien' (what the humans call it) on this turf.
The creature used its suctions on the bottom of its leg to securely wrap around me, and it's body color began to change the same as my skin.
Interesting.
Peridot failed to mention this ability with the octo-pie. Even though I'm interested in this new found ability, it can't stay latched onto me for very long. I bend down and remove it from my leg. It's twitching and squirming in my grasp. It's... charming...looking. I smile. I like this odd creature. It wrapped one of its legs on my hand, attempting to attach to me again.
"No, no." I say, "You need to return back to the bottom of the ocean. There will be more resources for you there." I say more to myself than it. I wish I could keep it. It's such an intriguing being.
I put it further in the water and using worn out willpower, I mentally push the waves away from the shore. The water is heavy. So heavy that it feels like it's resisting me. However, I manage to regain a little control and push the tides further and further back. The water went down and soon it receded from my waist and down to my lower shins.
The water level was still pretty high, but at least it wasn't touching the bottom of the Temple.
"But, it will return," I say bitterly, glaring at the ocean. It's not completely dark, yet; the sun is trying to disappear, but the moon has yet to make a full appearance. Once the moon settles , then the tides will reach midway towards the Temple.
"You're doing well," I hear a voice behind me. I turn around and there I see my leader. A Gem I've been following after for 3,800 years.
Rose Quartz.
"But you look exhausted," She adds, giving me a sad smile. I meet her gaze swiftly, then turn back to the ocean. The truth is, I am exhausted. I feel like I deserve something that equally values as a great rest. I feel like reverting back into my Gem to relax, but unless Rose decides to impale me with her sword, I doubt that will happen.
"I'm not strong enough," I sigh dejectedly. When there were many Crystal Gems among us, I wanted to stand out among the rest and be acknowledged by our courageous leader. Fortunately for me, Rose saw my potential and valued me, however, I was never able to actually show her my full potential.
"Don't worry Lapis," She says and place a calm hand on my shoulder. I look up and see her smiling graciously at me, "You're doing great."
I frown slightly, "But it's not enough. This is my third day being out here and today I've been out here for hours and I still can't control the tides," I groan, annoyed with myself and her outstanding faith in me, "I'm not… good… enough…"
I have to be good enough. I need to show her I'm good enough. I just can't seem to summon the inner strength to actually show her myself what a great asset I am to her. She purses her lips and looks off toward the ocean. I've seen this look on her face before. She's thinking of something wise to say, and all I can do is hold my breath and wait for her to say what she feel is right.
"Peridot told me that there's a hurricane just east of the Atlantic Ocean," She said quietly. I may not know how to read, let alone decipher a map of any kind, but I do know that the Atlantic Ocean is the ocean that the Temple is facing towards. Peridot had already drilled that concept in my brain a few hundred times, "The ocean is too much to control on your own with a hurricane nearby. That's why the tides are rising." She adds.
I frown, "But...I still...I need to be able to control it."
"No you don—"
"I do!" I cut her off, "That's all I can do! I have to control the ocean! I have to keep it under control for your sake." I say.
"For my sake? Or for yours?" She asks, simply. I clamp my jaw shut. I'm not sure what to say. What do I say?
"Lapis," She calls my name and puts both hands on my shoulder to turn me around and face her. I look up at her gorgeous eyes with beautiful locks of pink hair framing her face. After all these years of fighting and leading a war, she looks like she haven't changed. She looks composed and gentle, as if she's never even been included in the war, whereas, I look haggard and constantly tired from stress and trauma, directly from the hellacious war so many years ago.
"Please, do not doubt yourself. You are a Crystal Gem. A survivor of the war against Homeworld. Of all of the comrades whom fallen, I am ever so glad that you are one of the few left standing." She says sincerely, with a smile gracing her lips. Her next words brings tears to my eyes, "You are, Lapis Lazuli, member of the Crystal Gems. You are more than good enough."
~o O o~
"Why was it so important to control the ocean?" Steven asked while Lapis gave a brief pause in her story.
"Gems that had ability to control certain elements were highly expected of having great control of their abilities," Lapis answered as she absentmindedly formed tiny figures out of the colored water, "However, Earth was the only planet that I've been on, that had so much water on it. It was overwhelming and strenuous to control large bodies of water like that without a mental break."
"What do you mean by mental break?" Steven asked innocently before gasping, "You mean like your brain broke apart or something?"
Lapis stifled a laugh and answered, "No, nothing like that. I mean, a break, as in a long period of time when relaxing your mentality. When a Gem has the ability to control elements, it takes a lot of mental power and physical power to control that said element. When I was trying to control the ocean, my physical strength was there, however, my mentality was not. And since elemental Gems were so pressured into being expected of nothing less than great back on Homeworld, I was so stressed out on not being able to handle the ocean that my abilities were falling short," She explained.
Steven nodded, following what she was saying, "So if you're stressed, then your powers won't work so well?"
"In a sense, yes. I had other Crystal Gem duties that wore me out mentally," She sighed.
"Like what?"
"So many chores, like, locating Corrupted Gems, making sure those said Corrupted Gems weren't attacking any humans. Rescuing humans from Earthly situations such as hurricanes, tidal waves, drastic storms…" She waved off, dropping the water figures she was forming. She leaned her head back to look up at the hazy atmosphere, "Although, I suppose it's my fault for doing so many tasks by myself. I really just wanted to impress Rose."
Steven let out a small gasp, "You did all of that by yourself?"
"Most of them," She shrugged, "Even though back on Homeworld, I was a well known hydrokinetic, my powers were usually useless. There wasn't ever water to control on other planets, and if there were some planet with water sources, there wasn't a large amount of it, not nearly as much as there is on Earth." Lapis closed her eyes and gave a sigh, "And with that said, I wasn't utilized much on Homeworld. I was often looked over on missions. But out here, on Earth, there was so much opportunity to show that I could be better than what I was worth back on Homeworld. I didn't want to let Rose down…"
Steven looked down at the water that he and Lapis were occupying. He was starting to piece together what Lapis was saying. She was a special Gem. A Gem that can control elements. It takes a lot of mental and physical strength to control their element. This got Steven thinking about the Lapis back in his world. He remembered how practically forced the ocean into the sky trying to get back to Homeworld. Compared to that Lapis and this Lapis that was sitting next to him, the Lapis in his world seemed a lot stronger than her. However he thought about the situation that the Lapis in his world was in.
She was trapped inside of a mirror.
She was held captive in a mirror for who knows how long. She had no worries or stress like the Lapis beside him. When Steven helped her escape the mirror, the only 'stress' she displayed was the stress of her going back to Homeworld. Because of that, she was more than mentally sound and capable enough to control the ocean at her expense.
"I think I understand, now…" Steven nodded in conclusion, "But...what does any of that have to do with you fusing with my mom?"
"Ah, well," Lapis straightened herself, "Your mother knew that my mentality was weakened, so she offered to help me… relax my state of mind."
~o O o~
We warped away into the unknown. Knowing Rose, and the many secrets she held, she was most likely taking me someplace where not too many knew about. Despite that though, I asked her anyways.
"Rose, where are you taking me?"
She smiled at me, "A place to relax," She said simply. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her, as we phased in front of a deserted canyon. Ahead of us was a very large mountain. Before I could even guess how tall the hunk of rock was, Rose was already walking ahead of me, scaling the mountain.
I follow behind her, drawing my wings as we cover the mountain. It doesn't take us very long to get to the top. We land on the edge of the mountain, and surprisingly it's a flat surface, with a giant crater, 20 steps in diameter, what it seems. I frown at the familiarity this crater gives. I look at Rose, who was in turn, staring fondly at the center of the crater.
"Is this place…" I trailed, wanting her to confirm what I was thinking.
"Yes," she answered, walking towards a large indent in the crater, "This is the exact place where I first landed on Earth."
I inspected the crater around us. It was true, this crater is about the same size as one of the proto-ships to land on other planets. The indents inside of the crater, must be the legs that the ship stood on. The ship most likely was destroyed or discarded, considering it was nowhere to be seen.
"Why bring me here?" I ask.
"It gives me a calm peace of mind," She smiles fondly, "When I think back of when I first arrived here, I remember that I didn't know what this planet was capable of. The life it inhabits, the mysterious wonders it holds…"
She pauses and looks in my direction and gives me a blessed smile, "The endless opportunities this planet brings is spectacular. I feel proud that I am responsible for helping it stay intact. I know that without my help, the planet wouldn't even exist. So when I come to this spot, I feel…calm…because all that I fought for is all over. That at this spot, marked my journey to a new beginning."
I looked away from her gaze, unable to form my thoughts. She was so sincere. Her words were powerful. So precise. So…honorable. Is she really just a common Quartz that was made in a Kindergarten?
"I want you to experience the same peace of mind I have. I want you to understand the way I feel when I come up here…" She says quietly. I look up at her, confused. She smiles at me again and says something I was not expecting, "Let's fuse."
In attempt to regain my breathing, I gulp in a large pocketful of air, that ironically, made me choke.
"Are you serious?" I asked, my voice hitching.
"Of course," Rose laughed, "I want you to know that you're not alone."
I shift my gaze away from her. Fuse? With Rose? Every part of my body felt anxious to do it, but my mind is telling me not to. I've never fused just for the sake of fusing. I've fused with Jasper in a battle before, but that was because we were cornered and was left with no other option. But fusing with my leader… It all seemed a little… inappropriate.
"I don't know if I…" I didn't finish. So many things can be placed after that sentence.
I don't know if I can.
I don't know if I should.
I don't know if I want to.
Whatever the case may be, I am hesitant about the idea.
"We're not on Homeworld anymore, Lapis," I heard her say, "You won't be judged by fusing with another type of Gem."
It was true. On Homeworld, if you were to fuse, it had to be under necessary circumstances and with the same Gem. In this case, I would be breaking two rules by Homeworld standards. But…
We weren't on Homeworld…
"Um… What should I…?" I asked looking down, embarrassed. I never truly danced. They time when Jasper and I fused, she just quickly spun me and dipped me, and the next thing I noticed, we were Malachite. This fusion dance however won't be rushed, making it a lot more intimate and surreal. Not to mention, I'm not sure what Gem we'll turn out to be. What we would look like… How tall we would be…How many appendages we would have?
I felt Rose's presence get closer, "Just follow my lead. You'll eventually get the hang of it." She smiles encouragingly. I nod with a bit of hesitance, and step a little closer to her.
She puts her hand on my lower back and uses her free hand to interlock her fingers with mine. My free hand went up to her shoulder and ever so slowly, we begin to shuffle our legs. She twirls us around, both of our dresses picking up in the air from our momentum. She releases her hand from my back and lifted our hands up in the air so she could let me do a pirouette. I spin a few times gracefully until the momentum of my body came to a stop. With my back facing her, I begin to fall backwards, knowing that she will catch me. I land gracefully in her arms as she dips me low, and suddenly, I feel my gem pulse. I feel another gem, Rose's gem, pulse in sync with mine, and a bright light consumes us both.
As quickly as the light consumed us, the quicker it vanished. I open my–our– eyes slowly. I– We...look around hesitantly and then down at our–my body. Woah.
"I'm—we're huge…!" I gasp at our new form, and our new accented voice, "Oh wow—I don't know... what to say?" I have a large build, but I'm curvy. I feel the length of my hair running down my backside. I look down at my...four...hands. They're not the blue or pink that I'm used to...It's a pinkish- violet hue.
"I wish...I could see our face," I say breathlessly. I feel my face frown, and it seems that the Rose part of me is unhappy with the statement, "We...are not two people...We are one person."
I blink at myself, "We're one person…" I repeat.
I look down at my hands, "I'm not alone…"
I suddenly focus my attention at the crater that I'm standing over. Memories–or a sense of Rose's feelings flood over as I stare at the crater. I feel content, happy, accomplished and overall calm. These feelings were pure and it felt like my body was being cleansed of all negative thoughts that plagued Lapis' mind earlier. All the feelings that Rose told Lapis is what I'm feeling now. However, I feel a flood of overwhelming emotions from Lapis pool over me.
Tears appear in my eyes, and the Rose part of me says, "What's wrong?"
I drop to my knees making a massive thud noise echoing off the mountain, "It's so beautiful–" I whimper, "Everything in your peace of mind is so beautiful! How do you have such lovely thoughts?" I wail.
The tears from my eyes spill over in large quantities. I sob while putting a pair of hands to my… lower pair of eyes…that belong to Lapis, I presume...My lower arms wrap around my body, as if I'm coddling myself, "It's okay. It's our thoughts. My thoughts. We're one person…"
"One person…" I repeat to myself. I sob some more. I suddenly try to swat my tears away from my eyes, but I somehow lose control of my powers and create a large pool of water, filling up the crater.
I blink, looking down at myself, "Uh oh! Oh no! Oh my—" I gasp as the water was rising. I couldn't stop it. I think my emotions are making the water rise, "I-I can't stop it. I-I'm sorry—!" I gasp. I feel my body start to unravel and break apart, and within a flash I separate.
"Ugh!" I groan as I separate from Rose. I fall into the deep center of the water. My whole body emerged into its depths. I swim to the surface and take a gasp of air. I look around and see that I'm in a pool of pinkish-violet water– that feels unnaturally warm.
I whip my head around in search of my leader, "Rose?" I call out. A few seconds later Rose emerges to the surface as well, a short distance away from me, her eyes wide and alert. I swim towards her and ask, "Are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't mean to–"
"Are you alright?" she asks, cutting me off.
My eyes widened a fraction of a second before answering, "I'm fine. What about you?"
She ignores my question, "Why did you split us up? Why did you start crying?"
My face flushed. I cried while fused with my leader? How embarrassing. "I — I guess I was being emotional…" I say, "I was a little overwhelmed with...your–I mean—our emotions…"
"Why?" She asks.
"Because...It was so...beautiful...and calm...and warm. I—I never have experienced such...inner peace and calmness before…" I paused, "It was like I was looking through life in your eyes…"
Rose gave me a knowing smile, "And how did you feel?"
I looked at the water and went into a deep thought, "I felt...happy...bliss...not...pressured. It was like I was taking it easy, for once." I say. I look up and met her soft eyes, "Is that how you feel all the time? Calm and happy?"
Rose gave a small giggle, "Well...not all the time. But a large sum of that is how I feel."
"How do you feel that way all the time?" I pout. I wanted to know her secret. I wanted to feel like she does.
She gave me a sweet smile and cradled my cheek into her hand, "By letting go."
Out of all the things, that was the last answer I expected her to give, "...letting go?" I asked.
She nods, "You're a Crystal Gem, now. You owe it to no one, to prove how useful you are. Let go of the past. Let go of you being a servant to the Diamonds. Find inner peace by knowing who you are and what you've already accomplished. That, is how you find inner peace."
~o O o~
"So, this is your tears?" Steven asked amazed as he made a ripple in the water.
Lapis nodded, "Yep. They were coming from my eyes, but since it was my powers mixed with your mother's healing powers, it has that sort of healing effect, to relieve aches and pains." She answered.
"Your tears mixed a little with my mom's healing powers..." Steven concluded, "But does it heal cracked Gems?"
Lapis gave an apologetic shrug, "I'm not sure. I've never tested it on a cracked Gem before," She answered truthfully, "But I have put you in here, once before when you were a baby."
"What did you put me in here for? Did I get hurt or something?" He asked curiously.
Lapis replied by shaking her head, "No, nothing that extreme. You were once crying all day, and Jasper, Peridot, and I didn't know what the problem was. I volunteered to take you for the hour to see what was wrong, and I ended up taking you here. It seemed appropriate to take you here, considering it was a safe haven for your mother. I dipped you in the water and you stopped crying immediately. Later, I found out you were only teething," Lapis chuckled at the distant memory.
"Oh," Steven chuckled with her, "Well, I'm glad that you took me here. I really like this place," Steven smiled.
Lapis gave an affectionate grin too and put a calm hand on his back, "If you ever want to visit this place again, just say the word."
Steven nodded and relaxed in her touch. His eyes started drooping low and he let out a long yawn. His body may be feeling better, but he still was bone tired, "I don't want to leave just yet, though," He admitted to her. If he was being honest with himself, he was enjoying basking in the magical water. More importantly, he enjoyed sitting by Lapis' side. She was always calm and peaceful which was quite the opposite of the Lapis in his world. Her presence was so delightful, that if he had the option of staying here with her for the rest of the day, he would certainly not resist that opportunity.
"We don't have to leave," She said, closing her eyes and leaning back into the inviting water, "This is our vacation after all."
A/N: Well that took a long time to write! I mean seriously, this Chapter is like 10k+ words!
I wanted to put a flashback with Lapis and I wanted her to fuse with Rose, so that flashback itself was supposed to be a whole other chapter, but I decided that 2 back-to-back chapters dedicated to Lapis and Steven's relationship/dialogue would've been too much.
ALSO, I'm not entirely thrilled with the concept of making NEW Gems, or Gemsona's added, or naming fusion Gems and creating them. I mean it's cool to make them, but not story wise. I've seen so many people's Gemsona's of Ruby and/or Sapphire online (before their release episode of course) and when Ruby and Sapphire's appearance aired, it was a little weird having their ideas displayed and different from the show (I hope you understand what I'm talking about).
Anyway, my point being, I'm not going to be naming any un-introduced fusions or characters. Like you saw Lapis' and Rose's fusion was depicted mostly by the audience and how you perceive it to look. All you know is that she's violet colored (because pink and blue makes violet) and she has multiple arms and eyes. The rest of it is up to your imagination (Name/ skin color/ hair color/ height/ facial features etc). And whatever other unknown Gems in the story are going to be in the same context. They won't have a name or any real significance. They'll be like the background characters like in the episode "The Answer".
Phew. Sorry for my explanations, but I was making sure I was being clear.
THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS AND SUPPORT *mwuah!* I love you! Tell me how you felt about this chapter!
I was going to draw the landscape of Lapis' "Secret Oasis" and some of the scenes depicted here (mainly the flashback) If you're interested in seeing it, My tumblr art blog will be posted on my profile!
Until next Time!